Motorized air vent

ABSTRACT

A motorized air register, air diffuser or vent for HVAC systems in commercial and residential applications comprises a supporting frame abutting a floor, wall or ceiling and a second depending frame for enclosing a damper. The damper is motor driven from a first fully open position to a second fully closed position. The damper can be controlled remotely from a wall consol or in accordance with thermostat logic.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to ventilation and more particularly to floortype registers and more specifically to a motorized air vent.

BACKGROUND

Air vents and air diffusers are well known in HVAC systems forcommercial and residential applications. However an easily operatedmotorized air vent is required to prevent stooping and bending of theback when opening or closing them. Another requirement is to have amotorized air vent that can be remotely controlled from a wall mountedfixture by radio communications. Still a further requirement is to havea motorized air vent that can be logically tied to thermostats toregulate opening and closing as a function of heat demand in aparticular room.

My invention seeks to satisfy these requirements by providing amotorized air vent that is easy to operate, remotely operable andcapable of operation in concert with thermostats.

SUMMARY

In satisfaction of the above-cited requirements my invention providesfor a motorized air vent for controlling an air flow in an HVAC system.The motorized air vent comprises a first rectangular frame adapted forsupported placement abutting a planar surface; air diffusion meansmounted within the first rectangular frame; a second rectangular framedepending from the first rectangular frame; vent closure means mountedoperatively within the second rectangular frame and positioned adjacentto the air diffusion means; and, means for sliding the vent closuremeans open and closed. The first rectangular frame is sized forplacement around a rectangular hole in a planar surface such as a floor,a wall or a ceiling. The first rectangular frame supports the motorizedair vent within the rectangular hole. The air diffusion means comprisesa first mesh pattern adapted for omni-directional air diffusion andcomprises a plurality of equally spaced and parallel horizontal andvertical members forming a matrix of equally sized rectangularapertures. The vent closure means comprises a thin rectangular dampercomprising a second matrix matching the first matrix. When the secondmatrix and the first matrix coincide the motorized air vent is full openand when the second matrix and the first matrix are fully offset, themotorized air vent is fully closed. An electric motor and cam assemblyis used to move the second matrix from side to side between an open andclosed position. The electric motor has control means which compriseremote control means operable from a wall consol or by operation of athermostat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a bottom and top perspective view of one example of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a disassembled view of one example of the invention.

FIG. 3 comprises a number of views of the moveable damper of one exampleof the invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of one example of the invention in adisassembled state.

FIG. 5 comprises two views of the drive motor assembly in a disassembledstate in one example of the invention.

FIG. 6 comprises a variety of views of the drive motor assembly in anassembled state in one example of the invention.

FIG. 7 comprises a variety of views of the cam body and cam head of oneexample of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, my invention is a motorized airvent (10) comprises a first rectangular frame (14) having a top surface(16), a bottom surface (18), a length (20) and a width (22). The firstrectangular frame (14) is adapted for supported placement abutting aplanar surface such as a floor surface, a wall surface or a ceilingsurface. Within the first rectangular frame is air diffusion means (24)adapted for distributing the air flow (12) in an omni-directionalpattern. In other examples of my invention, the air diffusion means candirect air in specific directions. The invention also comprises a secondrectangular frame (26) depending from the first rectangular frame (14).Vent closure means (28) is mounted operatively within the secondrectangular frame (26) and positioned below and adjacent to the airdiffusion means (24). The invention further comprises means (30) forsliding the vent closure means (28) open and closed. Means (30) forsliding is in an operative relationship with the air diffusion means(24) permitting air flow control. In one embodiment of the invention,the motorized air vent is remotely controlled from a wall-mounted unit.

The first rectangular frame (14) is sized for placement around arectangular hole in the planar surface. The rectangular hole terminatesan air duct. The rectangular hole is sized to receive the secondrectangular frame (26) in relatively air tight agreement so that the airflow through the duct is directed to the air diffusion means (24). Thefirst rectangular frame (14) supports the motorized air vent (10) withinthe rectangular hole.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the air diffusion means (24) comprises a firstmesh pattern (32) adapted for omni-directional air diffusion. The firstmesh pattern comprises a plurality of equally spaced and parallelhorizontal (34) and vertical (36) members forming a matrix of equallysized rectangular apertures (38). The first mesh pattern is surroundedby rectangular frame (14) and generally flush with it. The vent closuremeans (28) comprises a thin rectangular damper (40) comprising a secondmesh pattern (42) comprising vertical members (46) and horizontalmembers (48) thereby forming a matrix of apertures (44) matching thefirst matrix of apertures (38). When the apertures (44) of the secondmatrix and the apertures (38) of the first matrix coincide the motorizedair vent (10) is fully open. When the second mesh pattern (42) and thefirst mesh pattern (32) are fully offset, the vertical members (46) ofthe damper (40) block the apertures (38) and the motorized air vent (10)is fully closed. The motorized air vent is adjustable by sliding means(30) between a fully open and a fully closed position, that is, when thefirst and second matrices are partially offset.

Referring now to FIG. 3 A to F there is shown a variety of views of thedamper (40). “A” is a top view, “B” is a long-side view, “C” is a bottomview, “D” is a short-side view, “E” is a top perspective view and “F” isa bottom perspective view. Illustrated elements are the apertures (44),the vertical elements (46) of the mesh and the horizontal elements ofthe mesh (48). FIGS. 3C and F illustrate recess (114) located at thebottom of the damper (40). Recess (14) is open at the bottom and closedat the top (115). Recess (114) is adapted to engage the sliding means(30) as more fully explained below.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the second rectangular frame (26) comprises afirst (48) and a second (50) parallel long side rectangular members anda first (52) and a second (54) parallel short side rectangular members.These four members are joined together and define a rectangular bulkheaddimensioned to fit snuggly within the rectangular floor or wall holewhile allowing easy removal of the motorized air vent from the hole. Therectangular damper (40) is permitted a sliding action within therectangular bulkhead between a fully open position and a fully closedposition along a series of bearing tabs (83) disposed on the insidesurface of each parallel long side rectangular member. The rectangulardamper (40) is motivated for sliding action by means (30). Also withineach parallel long side rectangular members (48) and (52) are apertures(82) adapted to receive corner tabs (78) disposed on side (80) andopposite side (81) of mounting plate (60) of sliding means (30). Onceassembled, the damper (40) will be disposed below the first mesh pattern(32) and slide along tabs (83). Recess (114) will engage the slidingmeans (30) as more fully explained blow. Sliding means will be supportedfrom mounting board (60) which will be suspended from frame (26) bycorner tabs (78) engaged with apertures (82).

Referring now to FIGS. 5 A and 5 B there are shown a top and a bottomperspective view of the sliding means (30) comprising a mounting plate(60) disposed beneath the rectangular damper (40) as shown in FIG. 4 andsupportively attached width-wise to the second rectangular frame (26) bymeans of tabs (78) engaging apertures (82) in frame (26). Illustrated inFIGS. 5A and 5B are electric DC motor (62), a battery (64) incommunication with the electric motor (62) and actuation meanscomprising a cam body (66) and a cam head (67). The cam head is inmechanical communication with rectangular damper (40) recess (114). Asthe cam head is turned by the motor clock-wise or counter clock-wise thedamper slides from an open position to a closed position. Stop member(69) is inserted within the cam body (66) and acts to limit the movementof the cam body and cam head between a damper full open position and adamper full closed position. Mounting plate (60) comprises a top surface(70), a bottom surface (72) and a central aperture (74). As illustratedin FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the mounting plate (60) is mounted width-wiseacross the second rectangular frame by mounting means comprisingprojections (78) protruding from each short side (80) of the mountingplate engaging apertures (82) in the long sides (48) and (50) of therectangular frame (26).

Referring back to FIG. 5, battery (64) is mounted to the bottom surface(72) of the mounting plate (60) by battery mounting means. In FIG. 5,the battery is a 9 volt battery and mounting means are clasps (86) and(88) adapted to engage the battery terminals (90) and (92). On the topsurface (70) of the mounting plate (60) there is electrical contactmeans (96) in electrical communication with the electric motor (62). Thetop surface also mounts electric motor control means (98) which may takethe form of a programmable circuit to actuate the motor on aprogrammable basis or a radio frequency receiver to actuate the motor ona remote-control basis from either a wall mounted control or athermostat. The electric motor (62) includes a drive shaft (100) thatprotrudes through aperture (74) to connect with the cam body (66). Theelectric motor is disposed below the mounting plate and mounted theretoby screws (104) and (105) that protrude through apertures (108) and(109) to engage threaded holes (106) and (107) in the top surface (63)of the motor casing.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A to D there are shown a variety of views of thesliding means (30) in an assembled state. Illustrated are the cam body(66) and cam head (67) mounted to the drive shaft (100) and disposedabove the mounting plate (60); the battery (64) and the DC electricmotor (62), the electrical connection (96) and the control means (98).

Referring now to FIGS. 7A to F there are shown top, side and bottomviews of the cam body (66) and cam head (67). The cam head is adaptedfor engagement with a complementary recess (114) (See FIG. 4) centrallydisposed in the lower surface (109) of rectangular damper (40). Theattachment collar (111) depends from the cam body (66) and includes a“D” shaped orifice (116) that fits over the “D” shaped drive shaft(100). In operation, the rotation of the cam head (67) within thecomplementary recess (114) moves the rectangular damper (40) betweenfully open and fully closed. The rotation control means (Item 69 FIG. 5)restricts the rotation of the drive shaft to about 180 degrees.

Although the description above contains much specificity, these shouldnot be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merelyproviding illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodimentsof this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determinedby the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

1. A motorized air vent for controlling an air flow, said motorized air vent comprising: a. A first rectangular frame adapted for supported placement abutting a planar surface; b. Air diffusion means mounted within said first rectangular frame; c. A second rectangular frame depending from the first rectangular frame; d. Vent closure means mounted operatively within said second rectangular frame and positioned adjacent to said air diffusion means; and, e. Means for sliding said vent closure means open and closed wherein said means for sliding is in an operative relationship with the air diffusion means permitting said air flow control.
 2. The motorized air vent of claim 1 wherein the first rectangular frame is sized for placement around a rectangular hole in said planar surface, wherein said rectangular hole terminates an air duct and wherein the rectangular hole is sized to receive said second rectangular frame in an air tight and positional agreement so that the air flow is directed to the air diffusion means.
 3. The motorized air vent of claim 2 wherein the first rectangular frame supports the motorized air vent within the rectangular hole.
 4. The motorized air vent of claim 3 wherein said planar surface is one of a floor surface, a wall surface and a ceiling surface.
 5. The motorized air vent of claim 4 wherein said air diffusion means comprises a first mesh pattern adapted for omni-directional air diffusion.
 6. The motorized air vent of claim 5 wherein said first mesh pattern comprises a plurality of equally spaced and parallel horizontal and vertical members forming a matrix of equally sized rectangular apertures.
 7. The motorized air vent of claim 6 wherein said vent closure means comprises a thin rectangular damper comprising a second matrix matching said first matrix so that when said second matrix and the first matrix coincide the motorized air vent is full open and when the second matrix and the first matrix are fully offset, the motorized air vent is fully closed.
 8. The motorized air vent of claim 7 wherein the motorized air vent is partially open when the first and second matrices are partially offset.
 9. The motorized air vent of claim 2 wherein the second rectangular frame comprises a first and a second parallel long side rectangular members and a first and a second parallel short side rectangular members joined together and defining a rectangular bulkhead dimensioned to fit snuggly within the rectangular hole while allowing easy removal of the motorized air vent from the rectangular hole.
 10. The motorized air vent of claim 9 wherein said rectangular damper is permitted a sliding action within said rectangular bulkhead between a fully open position and a fully closed position.
 11. The motorized air vent of claim 10 wherein the rectangular damper is permitted said sliding action by said means for sliding.
 12. The motorized air vent of claim 11 wherein the means for sliding comprises a mounting plate disposed beneath the rectangular damper and supportively attached width-wise to the second rectangular frame, an electric motor, a battery in communication with said electric motor and actuation means in mechanical communication between the rectangular damper and the electric motor so as to provide a sliding motion to the rectangular damper.
 13. The motorized air vent of claim 12 wherein said mounting plate comprises a top surface, a bottom surface and a central aperture, and further wherein the mounting plate is mounted width-wise across the second rectangular frame by mounting means.
 14. The motorized air vent of claim 13 wherein said battery is mounted to said bottom surface by battery mounting means, and wherein said battery mounting means includes electrical contact means mounted to said top surface and in communication with the electric motor.
 15. The motorized air vent of claim 14 wherein said top surface mounts electric motor control means.
 16. The motorized air vent of claim 15 wherein the electric motor includes a drive shaft and is disposed below the mounting plate and mounted thereto by second mounting means so that said drive shaft protrudes through said central aperture.
 17. The motorized air vent of claim 16 wherein said actuation means is mounted to the drive shaft and disposed above the mounting plate and comprises a rotatable cam body.
 18. The motorized air vent of claim 17 wherein said cam rotatable body has a cylindrical bottom portion axially attached to the drive shaft and a cam head top portion adapted for engagement with a complementary aperture centrally disposed in the rectangular damper.
 19. The motorized air vent of claim 18 wherein the rotation of said cam head within said complementary aperture moves the rectangular damper between fully open and fully closed.
 20. The motorized air vent of claim 19 wherein said motor control means restricts the rotation of the drive shaft to about 180 degrees. 